A ray of sunshine
by Lorelei Candice Black
Summary: In 1820. No Marcel. Instead, the Governor has a 4 years old daughter that he hates because her mother died giving birth to her. On her big brother's funeral, she is badly mistreated: Klaus comes to the rescue. Later: Bella/Kol


**_A ray of sunshine_**

_Twilight / The Originals_

_ In 1820. __No Marcel. Instead, the Governor has a 4 years old daughter that he hates because her mother died giving birth to her. On her big brother's funeral, she is badly mistreated: Klaus comes to the rescue._

* * *

><p>Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah were walking behind the governor and everyone else, following Emil's coffin. Rebekah wasn't crying anymore, she wasn't even that angry at Klaus. She knew that she shouldn't have insisted for him to let her change Emil, especially not at the moment she did. It had been a bad timing and a bad choice on her part and she felt like it was her fault if her lover, Emil was dead. She should have known better than to press the issue.<p>

Klaus's attention was attracted to their side, where a little girl, no older than 5 years old, was crying harder than everyone else. A man who worked for the governor pushed her once with a long wood stick, to force her to follow the group and the little girl fell on the ground, scraping one of her knees. The group kept on walking without anyone giving the poor girl a second glance. To everyone else, it was like she wasn't even here, like the girl walking on the grass beside them, trying to keep up, didn't exist.

Klaus stopped walking and kept on watching, forcing his siblings' curiosity as they stopped by his side.

"Niklaus?" Elijah asked him but it was left unanswered as Klaus's attention was completely on the girl.

The little girl, tears running down her cheeks grabbed one of the rotten apples from the ground and threw it at the man who had hit her. He, of course, laughed it off and rose his stick, ready to strike her once more, harder than before. Klaus reacted faster than he should have while in public and interrupted the man's arm.

Elijah and Rebekah were surprised, unable to move. Their curiosity got the better of them and had them wondering what their brother was doing.

Without waiting even a minute, Klaus broke the man's neck and let him fall to the ground.

"Are you okay? Where does it hurt Sweetheart?" Klaus asked the little girl.

"Knee and back." The girl replied sadly in a very small voice.

"How old are you? What's your name?" He asked her kindly, surprising his siblings with his tone.

"I'm 4 and a half. My name is Isabella but I don't like it. I like Bella better but no one wants to call me that." She replied in a small, shy voice.

"Well, it's nice to meet you Bella. I'm Klaus. Where are your parents? Why are you here?" He asked her while he passed his hand on her back, checking if anything was broken.

"I have to. My brother is in the big wood box and Father said I have to watch because I'm bad luck. I killed my mother when I came to the world and it's my fault if Mil fell because I'm bad luck." The little girl replied and Klaus had the feeling that she had been told that a lot.

"It's not your fault. Why aren't you walking with your father, in the front of the line?" Klaus asked her, still ignoring his siblings's stares.

He had never noticed the little girl in the governor's house and she wasn't dressed like someone from her condition should be. He even thought that she looked undernourished.

"He doesn't want me to. He never wants to see me. I have to stay hidden. Always." Bella replied.

"Are you happy here? With the life you have?" Klaus asked her and if Bella didn't answer, she looked down.

Elijah was wondering what as his little brother's goal with his questions.

"Don't be afraid, you can answer me. I only want to help you, I promise." he added softly, touching her cheek kindly.

Bella didn't speak, but she shook her head, indicating that she was, indeed, unhappy.

"I'm always in the dark, can only come out at night. I see only Miss Kathy and Miss Lotty but they're mean to me. They're never happy and they hurt... I can never eat the food that smells good in the house, I only have the same thing as always. When Mil died, Father was angry and said I have to walk, follow everyone and get one big slap with a stick every time I'm not where I'm supposed to but I'm tired and have little legs, I can't walk as fast as them..." Bella explained while she cried, feeling like the man standing in front of her was truly here to save her.

"Would you like to come and live with me? Change your life?" Klaus asked her, surprising even more his big brother and younger sister.

"Really?" Bella asked him, not sure if she should believe him or not.

"Yes, really." Klaus nodded, opening his arms to offer them to Bella who smiled through her tears and hesitantly went in them.

"Maybe not all hope is lost for our brother after all..." Elijah told his sister as Klaus closed his arms around Bella and lifted her, keeping her in his arms as he rejoined his siblings.

"Niklaus?" Elijah asked his brother.

"Bella is going to be living with us from now on." Klaus replied in a tone that left no room for discussion.

"We can't just take her Nik, we have to speak with her father first..." Rebekah argued.

"I will and he will agree." Klaus replied as Bella held on tighter to him, unwilling to let him go.

"Don't worry sweetheart, you're safe now." Klaus whispered in his new ward's ears.

"What if the governor doesn't agree?" Elijah asked curiously.

"Then I'll compel him. Bella's not going back there." Klaus assured his brother who nodded and joined his sister in following Klaus to the burial where they stayed in the back, out of the governor's eyesight.

.

Later, once Emil was buried and everyone was at the Governor's house for the wake, Klaus entered the Governor's office, Bella still in his arms and found the mourning man drinking a glass of Bourbon in front of his son's portrait.

"Mister Mickealson, now's not the best time." He started to say as he turned to Klaus.

Then, when he saw who was with Klaus he added:

"What is this awful child doing here? Get her out of my office this instant! It's all her fault this happened anyway!" He yelled.

Elijah and Rebekah were silent near the door, waiting for Klaus to decide on the right course of action.

"Funny you should mention her. You don't seem to want her around. I want to take her in, raise her. You will let me." Klaus declared.

"No! This child is mine to treat anyway I want and she will stay here and atone for killing her mother." The governor shook his head while Bella shook with fear, trying to get even closer to Klaus.

"Fine, you leave me no choices. You never had a daughter. Your wife died giving birth to a child who died with her. You'll forget Isabella and never think of her again." Klaus compelled the governor who nodded.

"I'm taking her home now. Do as you wish." Klaus told his siblings.

"I'll compel the rest of the personnel around to fit your story." Elijah assured his brother who nodded thankfully.

"I'll try to find suitable clothes for her, she can't wear this rags a day longer." Rebekah told Klaus quietly.

"Thanks. Don't find too much, I'll get her more tomorrow. She'll chose what she likes in town." Klaus replied.

.

Klaus kept Bella in his arms until they reached his bedroom so he could put her down and decide what he needed to get her first: food, comfort or a bath.

"Where are we?" She asked him in a quiet voice.

"My home. Your new home. This is my bedroom, you'll stay here for now. Tomorrow we'll arrange one of the other bedrooms for you." Klaus replied.

"Thank you... Are you my new father?" She asked him.

"Do you want me to be?" He asked her kindly and she nodded shyly, a soft blush growing on her cheek.

"Then I will be." He smiled and Bella jumped back in his arms, hugging him tightly.

"Now, I need you to keep a secret for me, okay?" He asked her, hoping she'd take it well and that he wouldn't have to compel this little girl he felt so connected to.

"Okay." Bella nodded, eager to please her new father.

"My family and I, we're special, magical if you will. I'm going to give you a bit of my blood now because it'll heal your wounds but you can't tell anyone." Klaus told her and Bella nodded.

"I heard Miss Kathy speaking about it, she called you and your family _vampires_." Bella added.

"Yes, we are, but you don't have to be afraid of any of us. You'll always be safe as long as me, my sister or my brother is with you. Here you go." He said, pouring some of his blood in a metal cup.

"Now, it's still early and Rebekah will be back soon with another dress for you to change into. Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something until they arrive?" he asked her.

Bella nodded and added quickly "But I can wait."

"I'm sure you can but you shouldn't. Come, I think we have some cake left in the kitchen. If not, I'll make you something." he smiled, taking her hand and showing her the house as they made their way to the kitchens.

On the way, Klaus made sure to make the little girl laugh, to make her understand that this was her house too from now on. They ate a piece of cake, drank some tea (milk for Bella) and he showed her all the empty rooms, asking her to choose the one she wanted as her bedroom.

It made him happy when Bella chose the one that was right next to his.

"I thought you liked the one next to the library?" he asked her to make sure it was the one she wanted.

"I only liked the big window." She shook her head.

"Well you know what? I'll have people over tomorrow to make this window even bigger, just for you." Klaus offered and the little girl gave him one of the biggest and most sincere smiles he had seen.

By that time, Elijah and Rebekah were back and Bella, who wasn't used to them yet, became shy again and hide behind Klaus.

"It's okay Bella. This is my big brother Elijah and my younger sister Rebekah. They're nice, they won't hurt you, I promise. Rebekah found a clean dress for you to wear. Do you want to go with her? She'll help you clean up, get dressed and do your hair. I'd help but sadly, I'm not very good at these girl things..." Klaus suggested, kneeling in front of Bella so she understood that it was her choice.

"I won't hurt you, I promise." Rebekah added with a smile, wanting to spend some time with the little girl too.

Bella ended up agreeing and took the blond vampire's hand while Klaus explained to his big brother the changes he wanted to make to Bella's bedroom.

"The window will take some time but the rest can be done tomorrow. Anything else?" Elijah asked him.

"I want to build a door on that wall, between our bedrooms so she can find me without having to go in the corridor at night. I want her to know that she's not alone anymore." Klaus replied and Elijah nodded.

"You truly care for her, don't you?" Elijah asked him.

"I do... I don't know why it happened so fast but... It was like she was a ray of sunshine in my dark life, like she's forcing the sunlight to stay. She's my daughter, I can feel it in my heart... I won't let anyone hurt her ever again." Klaus said.

"Then we shall protect her." Elijah reassured him, happy to see hope for his brother.

.

When Bella came back to find Klaus, she looked better, happier. Like any little girl her age should look.

"Look daddy, Rebekah made me pretty!" Bella exclaimed when she ran in the living room where Klaus was drawing while Elijah was reading.

Bella turned around to show him everything but tripped on her feet and fell. She only avoided the floor because Klaus caught her right before she hit the hard floor. He chuckled when she blushed.

"Here, no need to fall over." He told her kindly as he steadied her.

Rebekah had brushed Bella's hair who turned out to be very long since they went down to her lower back. They had probably never been cut before in her life. They were tied up midway with a pretty pink bow. The dress Rebekah had found looked new. It wasn't the best quality but it was still very pretty, especially for someone like Bella who wasn't used to being dressed like this.

"You were already pretty sweetheart but the dress makes you even prettier. We'll buy you more tomorrow. Any color you want and I promise you, you'll look like a princess." Klaus told her with a smile.

"Look, she even gave me a necklace! I've never had one and she's so nice, she said I could keep it, that it was mine now! It's so pretty! She said that we could be sisters now!" Bella explained to Klaus excitedly.

"I'm very happy for you Love. Now, what do you want to do before dinner?" He asked her, putting his drawing material aside.

"I don't know... What are you doing?" She asked him while Rebekah started playing the piano and joined Elijah in pretending they weren't there not to interrupt their bonding.

"I was drawing, but we can do anything you want." He replied, showing her his stack of paper.

"Can you show me? I've never drawn before..." Bella asked him and Klaus forced a smile, trying to forget that the child she was never had the opportunity to draw.

Hours later, Klaus put Bella to sleep in his bed, assuring her that he wouldn't leave her until she was asleep.

"Now, do you want me to tell you a story?" He asked her when he saw how small she looked in his big bed.

"Can you? I'd love one!" She nodded eagerly.

"What sort of story do you want?" He asked her.

"Yours." She replied and with a smile and a soft voice, Klaus proceeded to tell Bella about his own story, trying to make it sound like a fairy tale and to leave the darkest parts out. There would be plenty of time for the worst parts when she grew older.

He stopped when he saw that she was falling asleep and kissed her forehead

"Good night Princess. I'll see you in the morning." he told her.

Klaus then stood up and was about to leave the room when he heard her small voice ask "Please don't leave me daddy."

Touched, Klaus sat down in an armchair he had in his bedroom and watched over her as she slept.

"Niklaus, it's getting late... Do you want me to bring you a blanket or a pillow or something?" Rebekah asked him from the doorway a few hours later.

"No, I'm fine, thanks." Klaus replied, not even looking at his sister.

"Okay. Goodnight Nik." Rebekah told him, closing the door behind her.

Further in the house, he could hear his sister reporting his answer to Elijah and wishing him goodnight. His big brother, who seemed to know him better than Rebekah, didn't ask him anything but simply brought him his drawing material, knowing that he wouldn't be sleeping much that night.

Klaus pushed his chair by the window so that the moon could light up his work and spent several hours drawing his new daughter. It was the first time he ever felt this way and he already knew that it would be hard for him to get used to caring so much about someone else. He knew that he'd have to hide his fears from her and to try to prevent her from being influenced by his flaws. He wanted to protect her from all the evil in the world but how would he do that when he was one of them?

He'd do his best to raise her well, to let her know that she was loved. He'd do the opposite of what Mickeal did to him. It was in moments like this where he wished his father, his real father, was still by his side, that he could guide him somehow.

Suddenly, his attention was brought from the drawing of Bella sleeping to her actual sleeping form. She was frowning and crying out in her sleep, begging someone to stop, asking for help.

Klaus immediately rushed to her side, sitting on the bed beside her and putting a soothing hand on her forehead.

"It's okay Sweetheart. I'm here Bella, you're safe. It's just a bad dream, no one will ever hurt you again Princess." Klaus told her softly, ending it with a kiss over her head.

Bella calmed down but moved in her sleep and wrapped her little arms around Klaus, begging him to stay with her. Not willing to let her have anymore nightmares, Klaus settled by her side on the bed and let her move closer to him in her sleep.

Klaus fell asleep in this position, his head against the headboard of his bed and his new daughter's head on his lap.

"It wasn't a dream!" Bella exclaimed with a big smile when she woke up.

"No, it wasn't. How did you sleep, Love?" Klaus asked her.

"I had a bad dream but you saved me again and after that it was all pretty." She replied.

"I'm glad you slept well sweetheart. Now come on, we'll go get you some breakfast, then we'll get ready and we'll go in town to do some shopping to get you everything you need." Klaus told her as he got out of the bed.

"Thank you for staying with me." Bella told him in a small voice.

"I'll always be here when you need me Bella, never doubt that." Klaus promised her.

.

Elijah and Rebekah were already downstairs when Klaus and Bella arrived. Klaus was still dressed like the previous day and Bella was in the shirt Rebekah had given her to sleep in. They had their first breakfast all together and Rebekah took the little girl to her bedroom to help her get ready once more while Klaus changed and washed as well.

Once Bella was ready, they all went to the carriage that would drive them to the market first, then to bigger shops. Elijah left them first after an hour to oversee the delivery of Bella's new furniture and the beginning of the building of her bigger and prettier window. He took with him the food and other items they had bought from the market and left Klaus and Rebekah to get the dresses and others things for Bella.

"So Bella, I want something to be very clear now. We have a lot of money and I want you to be very honest. If you want something, you say it. If there's something that you don't like, you have to say it too." Klaus told Bella before they entered the new shop that recently opened and was owned by a witch, full of clothes for women (exclusively women) from infant to old ladies.

"Okay." Bella nodded.

When they were on the market earlier, Klaus noticed that the little girl looked at things like she wanted them but didn't dare ask for them. He understood that she wasn't used to it but he wanted her to have things she loved. He had already gotten her a bracelet, a doll and several children's books. Now she needed clothes.

They spent several hours in the shop and if it had been for his sister only, Klaus would have left a long time ago but seeing Bella happily trying on dress after dress made him smile. Rebekah convinced the little girl to buy 2 fancy dresses for parties. Of course she was too small to attend any real parties but Klaus heard Rebekah telling Bella that they'd have parties together. As long as Bella was happy, Klaus wouldn't complain.

"What do you say Nik? You're paying for these too?" Rebekah asked her brother with a smile as she appeared in front of him in a matching dress with Bella.

"Definitely." He smiled and Bella rushed to him.

"Do you like it Daddy?"

"Yes Sweetheart, I do." He smiled and it seemed to make the little girl happy.

In the end, Bella had 2 party dresses, 5 nightgowns, 7 pair of shoes, 4 hats, 12 dresses and a box full of hair accessories. She also a complete outfit so she could go riding with Klaus.

"So ladies, are we done or is there something else you need?" Klaus asked after Rebekah stopped to buy Bella a pretty parasol, like ladies had to stand in the sun.

"I don't know, what do you think Bella? Do we need anything else?" Rebekah asked Bella with a smile, feeling her bond growing with the new Mickealson.

She would be her sister.

"Don't you need clothes daddy?" Bella asked him.

"I have everything I need Sweetheart. Today is all about you." he smiled.

"I think we just need one more stop then." Rebekah said.

"And what is that sister?" Klaus asked her.

"Bella needs her own tea set and another doll so we can play together. Come on, it'll be quicker than the other stops." Rebekah told him.

"I hope so." Klaus muttered under his breath.

.

When they finally came back home, lunch was served and they were able to eat before Klaus laid Bella down for a nap, still in his bed, while people worked silently in the next room.

During their absence, the workers had built in the small door that Klaus wanted between his bedroom and Bella's as well as prepared for the new window. Elijah had hired werewolves to do the job and it had been done quickly. Klaus was thinking of getting Bella a balcony built in later, maybe for her birthday or something like this.

In Bella's future bedroom, the furniture was in place and a maid was putting away Bella's new possessions. Klaus reminded her to place flowers in the room as well and went back to watching over Bella's sleep for a couple of hours before he woke her up.

They spent the afternoon as a family, the four of them, playing in the garden and making sure that Bella was happy and having fun. Even Elijah didn't seem to mind having his cloths dirty with all the fun they were having.

"Am I going to be like this all the time now daddy?" Bella asked Klaus around tea time, when they took a break from their playing.

"Like what Sweetheart?" He asked her.

"Happy." She said it like it was a normal question to ask.

"Yes Bella. I'll do everything in my power so you don't ever become sad again." Klaus told her, like a promise not only to her but also to himself.

.

The next few weeks were very peaceful for the Mickealson family. It was like Bella had brought them some form of humanity, reminding them of what they could be (other than monsters).

Rebekah was like a big sister to Bella. They played together, Rebekah helped the younger girl get dressed and choose her accessories... They had grown very close very fast, like it was meant to be.

Elijah was like an uncle to Bella. She didn't see him like a brother, because he was too serious, and she couldn't see him like a father either, because that was Klaus and nobody was taking him out of her heart.

Klaus and Bella spent a lot of time together. He still told her stories before she went to bed and still waited until she fell asleep before going to his own bed. Sometimes, he'd wake up in the middle of the night with Bella climbing in his bed to sleep by his side, knowing that he'd chase the nightmares away.

The one thing that Bella did with Elijah was learning how to read. He had been reading a very tick book one afternoon while Bella was outside, looking at flowers when she came to him, took a book he had by his side and pretended she, too was reading.

"What are you doing Bella?" He asked her.

Klaus was handling some of their business, making sure they stayed rich while Rebekah was 'courting'.

"Like you." Bella replied, with a big smile.

"I see. Well, maybe it'll be easier if you turn the book around and look at it the right way." he smiled, turning the book upside down so it would be in the right sense.

Bella blushed and went back to looking at the paper, concentrated and a frown on her face. Elijah watched her for a couple of minutes before he asked her:

"Do you know how to read Bella?"

She shook her head, blushing in shame and he knelt before her:

"It's alright Bella. Most children your age don't know how to read yet. How would you like for me to teach you?" He asked her and she nodded eagerly.

From that day, Bella and Elijah spent 2 or 3 hours together every day. Bella learned how to read but also how to count and she was very proud of it.

"Daddy? Are you mad at me?" Bella asked Klaus one afternoon.

Klaus had been in his study for the past few hours, drawing and Bella couldn't help but feel like it was somehow her fault.

"Of course not sweetheart, why would I be mad at you?" He asked her, already feeling bad knowing the sadness on her face was his fault.

"Are you mad because I learn with Uncle Elijah?" She asked her father, her savior and hero, in a whispered and shy voice.

"I... You're a very smart little girl, Love. Come here." Klaus chuckled softly, inviting his daughter to sit on his knees.

"I'm not mad at you Bella, I just miss you and fear that you'll enjoy spending time with Elijah so much that you'll stop spending time with me." he replied honestly in a way she could understand.

"But I like spending time with you too! Uncle' lijah is a good teacher for letters and numbers but you're a good teacher for drawing and geography! I'll always love you more." Bella replied in this obvious honesty that only children had.

"I know Love, I'm just being silly. Don't worry about it. Now, why don't you show me what you've learned today?" He asked her and with an excited smile she told him she'd be right back, going to get her favorite book.

"I'm sorry brother, I didn't want to overstep..." Elijah started to apologize to his brother from the doorway.

He had obviously heard everything.

"Don't worry about it brother, like I told Bella, I was just being silly... I was jealous of the time you spent with her, afraid that she'd end up leaving me... I... I know it was stupid." Klaus shook his head.

"It's not stupid Niklaus, it's love. You love this little girl and don't want to lose her, I understand that. Just know that if you want me to stop..." Elijah started but Klaus stopped him:

"No, don't! She loves it and you, too, need your time with her. I don't exactly see you joining Rebekah and her in playing with dolls." Klaus chuckled.

"I'll have you know that I did attend a tea party just last week. Mister Bear liked me very much and wishes for me to come back very soon." Elijah replied with a smile.

"Really? How funny, when I was invited, Miss Bunny liked me and wanted me to come back as well." Klaus replied, his jealousy already forgotten.

.

Bella's childhood went by too fast for her father, her sister and her uncle. She learned how to behave in society, how to read, count, dance and play the piano. She learned how to knit and sew along with history and geography. She also learned more about the supernatural world, the use of herbs in witchcraft and how to defend herself if attacked by a vampire, a werewolf or a witch.

Bella was still as close to her father as she was when she was a little girl and if she didn't need him to read her stories before bedtime anymore, she still went to him when she had a nightmare and she still loved to spend time with him. He was her hero.

The discussion Klaus feared most came pretty quickly in their life together. On her 8th birthday, Bella started to wonder what would happen in the future, while she grew old and her family didn't. She hated the idea of leaving them, especially her father (whom she loved the most), some day and she asked if they would change her into a vampire some day.

At the time, Klaus had brushed it off, saying that it was too early in her life to discuss it and she didn't insist, only reminding him every year on her birthday that it was her wish to become a vampire like him before she became too old.

Today however, was a very special day because it was her 16th birthday and Bella had managed to convince her father, along with Elijah and Rebekah, to un-dagger Kol and let her meet him. She had never been really interested in Finn, mostly because he sounded boring in their stories but Kol always fascinated her and so Klaus pulled the dagger out of his younger brother, unable to refuse anything to his beloved daughter.

Kol's awakening happened during the night, while Bella was asleep and his two brother, joined by their sister, explained the new situation to him and why they had un daggered him.

"This is your chance Kol, we're finally a real family and you can be a part of it as well." Elijah finished after explaining about finding Bella and everything else.

"But let me warn you Kol, if you hurt her... If you harm her in any way, I swear that you'll be begging for this dagger to be put in your chest to end the pain and suffering I'll inflict upon you." Klaus declared.

"Well, this child must really be something special to have you all so defensive." Kol chuckled, a bit impressed.

"She is special but she's not much of a child anymore, she's turning 16 today." Rebekah smiled.

"Shut up Rebekah, Bella is a child and will stay a child until I die." Klaus growled.

"You can't be killed." Kol said, raising an eyebrow.

"Exactly." Klaus replied with a small smile on his lips.

"Why did you free me now then? If it's her birthday, shouldn't the focus be on her instead of being on me being awake?" Kol asked his family.

"My Bella has always loved to hear our story and you fascinate her. She's eager to meet you and it seems that I can't deny her anything." Klaus replied.

"You know that it means you'll have to turn her in the coming few years, right? She's not going to give up on this." Rebekah reminded her brother.

"I know... If she still wants it next years, I'll do it." Klaus nodded before he went to check on his daughter while Elijah and Rebekah helped Kol get some new clothes and brought him up to date with everything he had missed.

.

When Bella woke up on the morning of her 16th birthday, the curtains were already open and fresh flowers were brought in her bedroom.

"Happy birthday Sweetheart." Klaus said from his place in the doorway.

"Daddy! I can't believe I'm finally 16 today! The flowers are beautiful, Thank you!" She exclaimed excitedly, rushing out of bed to hug him and smell the flowers.

"You're welcome. Now, here's a new dress for you to wear today. When you're ready, join us the the garden, we'll wait for you to have breakfast." He told her, showing her a new dress she had never seen before that was hanging on the wall.

Before he left the room, Klaus kissed her forehead but she stopped him before he left.

"Dad?"

"What is it Sweetheart?" he asked her.

"You know that me growing up doesn't mean anything, right? I'll always be your little girl, that will never change."

"I know. You tell me every year. Don't worry Love, I'm not worried." He smiled at her.

"Will you brush my hair?" She asked him and with a smile, he nodded and started on his task.

Brushing her hair was something he didn't do often but it was always a privileged moment between them. Bella's hair were still very long, untied, they went all the way to her lower back. They were brown, shining, with a bit of red in them every time the sun shone.

"I love it when you do that... They're always softer than usual when you're done..." She smiled at him.

"That's because I put lots of love in them." he replied with a smile.

"That's what you told me when I was a kid and you brushed them for the first time." She chuckled.

"It took me a long time to dare try and brush your hair... I was so afraid of hurting you..." he shook his head.

"You could never hurt me." She smiled.

When Klaus was done, he left her to get ready and went to wait with his siblings and make sure that everything was ready.

"Strawberries, waffles, cake, chocolate, eggs, bacon... That's lot of food..." Kol noticed when he looked at the table.

"Klaus wants to make sure Bella has plenty of choice. It's always like this for her birthday." Rebekah explained.

.

When Bella finally arrived, Klaus was waiting for her by the stairs, to accompany her in the garden, to the table he had set for the occasion.

"Where is the table? I don't see it..." Bella asked once they stepped out of the back door.

"Further away, in the middle of the rose bushes you love so much." He replied, as if it was normal.

"You always find ways to surprise me for my birthday dad. Thank you." She replied with a wide smile.

"Oh, I can assure you that I'm only just starting with the surprises Love." He said with an amused smile as he guided her in the large back yard.

Right before they arrived at the table, Klaus placed his hand over her eyes, to surprise her with the sight.

"It smells great... Strawberry, roses, orange juice... Is that bacon and muffin?" Bella asked, making her father chuckle.

"Of course, a full table as he always does." Rebekah chuckled before she added a 'Happy birthday' and hugged Bella, followed by Elijah.

Then, Klaus took his hands away from her eyes and allowed her to see everything.

"Is that..." Bella started to ask, looking interrogatively at the stranger standing by the table.

"Kol, it's very nice to meet you, Bella." The man replied with a charming smile, making Bella smile.

"You undaggered him?" Bella asked her father, her smile seeming permanently glued to her face.

"Like Klaus could ever deny you anything!" Rebekah chuckled.

"I'm... It's very nice to meet you. I hope you'll stay with us." Bella told him with a blush on her face as she let him kiss her hand.

"I think I will. Happy birthday. I apologize in advance for my lack of gift for you, but I was just awoken and didn't have time to shop yet." Kol told her while she sat down by her father's side, in front of Kol.

"Don't worry about it, I don't need gifts and fancy things." she waved it off.

"Which is why you deserve it all." Klaus added.

"Elijah and I have a little bet going on this year. You see Kol, Klaus always spoils Bella on her birthday." Rebekah started to explain.

"Only on my birthday?" Bella chuckled.

"What can I say, I love my daughter." Klaus smiled.

"When she wanted a pony, he bought her 2 horses. When she wanted a doll house, he got her a doll house... and a castle in France to put it in." Rebekah informed Kol.

"Rebekah and I are thinking that maybe this year he got our pretty Bella her own state in this country." Elijah added with a smile.

"Don't be ridiculous, it's not possible... Right daddy?" Bella asked her father.

"Of course it's impossible... I'd have to go all the way to Washington to do that." Klaus replied.

"So you have considered it then?" Kol asked Klaus with an amused smile.

"Maybe." Klaus nodded, making everyone laugh happily.

"I don't need all of this, all I need is my family. It doesn't matter where we live or what we have as long as we're together." Bella smiled.

"Very wise for someone so young." Kol noticed, making her blush once more.

.

The rest of the day was full of joy and laughter. Bella got to spend sometime with Kol and if it appeared that they were alone, she knew that her father wasn't far away in case Kol got 'crazy'.

"My siblings seem very attached to you... It's never happened before." Kol told Bella.

They were both in the 'front yard', which was paved and lead to the street. Rebekah and Elijah had gone to get Bella's meal from the werewolf they had ordered it from while Klaus was drawing, leaving his daughter to have a moment to bond with Kol. Of course, his ears were on their conversation, making sure his daughter was safe.

"I'm very attached to them too. I don't know where I'd be without them. I love them, they're my family."

"You've never been scared of them or of what could happen if they lost control?" Kol asked her.

"No, they never gave me reasons to be afraid. Klaus saved me and has been keeping me safe and protecting me since the day he rescued me... I was young and I think they believe I've forgotten what it was like before I got with them, but I didn't. I was unloved, alone in the attic, fed with left overs, beaten when something didn't go right... I remember my brother's funeral and feeling like I wish it was me in that box... Then Klaus appeared, killed the man who was hurting me and offered me a good home... At first I thought it would be pretty much the same, only I wouldn't be hit. But he was kind, loving, caring... I immediately felt like I could trust him, and I still do." Bella explained to Kol.

"Elijah told me that you and Nik were very close to each other, but that you also formed a strong bond with himself and Rebekah."

"Rebekah was like a sister to me from the beginning... That first day, when she took me in her bedroom to help me wash and put on a new dress... I'll always remember it. She was smiling and with the sun coming out the window, she looked like an angel. She was so nice... I wasn't used to that. She took the time to brush my hair, let me choose the bow I wanted her to put inside and gave me this necklace, telling me that we could be sisters if I wanted. I never take this necklace off, just like I never take the bracelet daddy gave me for my first birthday with them. I have lots of others I wear on and off but these remind me of where I once was and how lucky and blessed I am to be here." Bella explained.

"You have a very mature take on life." Kol complimented her.

"Maybe it's because of all the books I read." She smiled.

"You like reading?" Kol asked her.

"I do. I don't care what the girls my age say about me in town... To them, reading the Bible is the only thing we girls should do... I don't agree. I was here for a few days only when Elijah started teaching me. He looked so peaceful and serious when he had a book open in front of him, I wanted to try it so I took a book and opened it. Elijah smiled and told me I had it upside down. He asked me if I wanted to read and when I agreed, he taught me with a fairy tales book. As it turns out, the book I had taken was an old philosophy book... written in Latin."

"Did you ever finish it?" Kol asked her with a chuckle.

"I did, but I don't think I'll ever read it again though, it was pretty boring." She chuckled.

"So you don't miss your old life at all?" Kol asked Bella.

"About as much as you miss being in a coffin with a dagger in your heart." She replied.

"I see. Rebekah told me that you studied witchcraft too." Kol started, willing to keep their conversation going because he was enjoying his time with the young woman.

"Yes, they wanted me to be prepared for anything... Without being a witch, it's possible to make some potions or to use bewitched objects and they wanted me to be able to use some of them in case of a problem."

"They care about your safety a lot." he nodded.

"That they do. It's why the house was put in my name the day after they adopted me." Bella smiled.

"It was? But I entered the house before you invited me in..." he was confused.

"Oh, you were invited in a long time ago... I invited you in when I was 6. I always loved it when dad told me stories about his family and back then, I liked you the most and decided that since daddy insisted that I was a princess, you'd be my prince. I invited you in because I wanted to make sure you'd be able to come in the house." Bella confessed with a soft blush on her face.

"Well, I'm honored." he smiled.

"I was young." She added.

"You mean you don't think I'm devilishly handsome?" he teased her, secretly hoping that she did.

"I don't think daddy is ready for me to find ANY man handsome at all." She shook her head, avoiding having to admit hat he was, indeed, very good looking.

"Well, you'll soon find out that I'm not any man, Love." Kol told her before Rebekah and Elijah came back, parked beside them and asked Kol to help unload the many plates.

"You guys know that it's only going to be the 5 of us, right?" Bella reminded them.

"So? We want you to have enough choice!" Rebekah justified as Klaus joined them, ready to distract Bella.

"You spent a while with Kol... Did everything go well?" He asked his daughter.

"You would know, I'm sure you were listening." She smiled knowingly.

"You know me too well. I didn't know you still remembered that time..." Klaus said, an hint of sadness in his voice.

"I make a point to remember. I don't want to forget what you saved me from. I don't want to ever get so used to what you give me that I stop appreciating it. I want to remember where I come from, the good and the bad." She explained.

"Sometimes I swear that you're wiser than all of us." He replied, hugging her to his side.

"Only because my father educated me well." Bella smiled, hugging him back.

"You like Kol already, don't you?" Klaus whispered so nobody else would hear them.

"What? I... He's nice." She replied with a blush.

"You know what I mean..." he shook his head.

"Maybe." She nodded.

"You don't have to be ashamed or sorry Love. I can tell with the way he looked at you and talked with you that he likes you... I won't stand in the way... If anything was to happen, I won't intervene, as long as you're happy, I'll support you." He whispered in her ear, making sure Kol wouldn't hear him but promising himself to talk to his brother soon.

"So, daddy, while we're alone... You know what I'm going to ask you again this year, right?" She told him.

"I do and this year again, I'll tell you that it's too soon, that you need to wait. But Next year, if you still want it, then I'll grant you your wish and turn you. I'm already working on getting you a full Lapis Lazuli jewelry set and to try to see if it would be possible for you to be as strong as we are." Klaus told her, knowing it was what she wanted to know.

"I love you daddy!" She exclaimed, jumping in his arms to hug him, unaware that Elijah, Kol and Rebekah were watching with smiles, happy to know that she'd be with them forever.

.

The next few weeks were mostly uneventful.

Bella and Kol spent more time together and it quickly became obvious to their loved ones that they were slowly but surely falling in love. It was especially obvious in Kol, who seemed much calmer than he usually was. Happier as well. Bella seemed to have become his number one priority, hobby and pleasure in the life he now had in New Orleans, though he did spent some time with the witches as well, whenever Bella was busy somewhere else.

Klaus had taken his brother aside and they had a very serious talk for about 2 hours where Klaus told him that while he wouldn't stand in the way of their love story, he refused to let Kol pursue Bella if she was just another conquest to him.

Then Kol had to assure his big brother that he would do his best not to rush into it and to be a perfect gentleman with Bella, whom he already liked a lot and didn't want to see hurt either.

After that Klaus made sure to insist on the fact that if Kol ever was to break Bella's heart, he'd end up back in his coffin, with a dagger in his heart and that it would be best for him not to pursue her at all until he was certain that he was in it for the long haul.

Kol agreed, without fighting it, which was new for him and for the past few weeks, he kept on spending time with Bella, taking walks with her, inviting her to see concerts or plays with him. Everyday, he would give her a pretty flower, most often a rose, but sometimes something else to surprise her and keep her guessing.

Kol and Bella exchanged their first kiss 6 months after meeting for the first time and officially became a couple. It had happened after he took her to see Romeo and Juliet in theater.

Bella took the time to assure her father that it didn't mean she'd leave him, ever, that she'd always be his daughter. Of course Rebekah had to bring up that not only would Kol be Klaus' brother, now he'd also be his son in law.

This remark made Bella blush, mainly because it meant Kol would one day propose and if she loved the thought, she didn't want to force him into anything. They had all the time in the world, especially since she was going to live forever too.

.

Bella's 17th birthday was coming closer by the day when Elijah came home with bad news from one of his numerous contacts.

"I've heard word of Mickeal being seen not too far from here. He's coming our way." he announced.

"Mickeal? Your father?" Bella asked and Elijah nodded.

Bella knew enough about the man to be afraid and she went to sit between her father and her Love, needing to feel safe and protected.

"Don't worry Bella, you'll be safe." Klaus assured her.

"We need to run, hide her somewhere far away. Maybe Europe." Kol declared.

"Yes, he won't find us in the castle we bought her in France. It's in her name, he'll never find it." Elijah nodded.

"No." Bella declared and they all turned to watch her.

"Sweetheart, Mickeal will kill you just to get to me, to us. He's dangerous." Klaus told her.

"I know that, but you can't spent forever running away from him. You've built yourself a home here, you all love it. Don't let Mickeal take it from you. For the first time you're all united and you have friends. The werewolves, the vampires, the witches... They'll help you to maintain peace, especially since Mickeal is known not to care about collateral damage. I'll stay inside this house, safe, with vervain and anything you want but you need to fight him together. Be able to win. Get rid of him once and for all. Free yourselves." Bella said very passionately.

"The voice of reason..." Klaus nodded.

"Niklaus? You agree? You're willing to fight him?" Elijah asked him softly.

"Bella's right. Together, we can face him. _Together_." Klaus nodded.

"The most important people in town are already on vervain but we need to get more and spread it so he can't compel too many of them." Rebekah said.

"The vampires too. Even if it hurts and makes them weaker, it'll protect them from becoming Mickeal's puppets." Bella suggested and Rebekah nodded.

"Let's get to work then. Kol, you go see the witches, ask for their help, make sure they understand what is at stake for everyone and if they want to help more, they can come here. Rebekah, you stay here with Bella and collect all the vervain you can before Mickeal gets too close. Elijah, you go see the vampires in town, compel them to follow us and do as we say if you have to. I'll go deal with the werewolves." Klaus decided.

Before everyone went in action, Klaus and Kol hugged Bella, asking her to be safe.

Ever since Bella entered their lives, the Originals had created a little kingdom in New Orleans. If there was an eventual tension between the different supernatural species, most of them got along, especially since Klaus and Elijah had created the Council. Beside 2 originals (most of the time it was Klaus and Elijah, but sometimes Kol or Rebekah would replace one of them), there was 4 humans (a priest, the chief of police, the mayor and a shop owner), 3 werewolves (the alphas of the three big family/packs living nearby), 1 vampire to represent the normal ones (not Originals) and 2 witches, elected among their people. Together, they maintained peace and took the important decisions in town so the majority could be safe.

Bella knew that they would all join her family to defend her father and their town. New Orleans had become a little haven to supernatural beings. It was peaceful and anyone who started trouble with someone else paid with their lives, or by being locked in a cave, unable to leave, until the end of their punishment. She was so confident in the fact that things would go well that it didn't surprise her when everyone came back home later that day with the good news that everything was going according to her idea.

A few more days passed and it looked like the entire town was coming together to protect themselves. Everywhere, witches were doing protection spells and placing traps that would only work on Mickeal.

Two days before Bella's birthday, Kol took her aside and, after eating alone with her the perfect meal he had planned, he proposed to her. Of course she said yes and they were immediately joined by Rebekah, Elijah and Klaus in their private celebrations.

"We'll plan a big party and invite everyone when we finally killed Mickeal." Klaus promised her.

"It will be a multiple celebration then. My birthday, our engagement, winning against Mickeal, my coming transition...We'll have lots of things to celebrate." Bella nodded.

"Exactly." Klaus nodded.

"Bella will have to move to another bedroom though... I don't think Klaus wants his married daughter to be in the bedroom right next to him." Rebekah teased, making Bella blush deep while she hid her face in Kol's chest.

That night, when she went to bed, Bella made sure to leave the door that separated her room with her father's open, just in case something happened while she slept. She wanted to be sure that she'd have a chance to hear him if he left.

Fortunately, nothing happened that night and the next morning, they got news of Mickeal being seen in a street not too far from from their house and definitely making his way to them. Quickly, they got into action.

Bella locked herself in a special room, protected by magic on top of the rest of the house to prevent even humans from coming inside if Bella didn't invite them inside. Mickeal wouldn't even be able to shoot a gun (or an arrow) at her or to throw a piece of wood on fire her way. She was untouchable until she broke this spell, which she would only do once her father and Kol told her to.

The wait seemed to last forever for Bella but the clock on the wall told her that it had only been two hours when she finally heard footsteps coming her way. She stood up, ready to shoot an arrow at whoever would open the door, because if projectiles couldn't enter the room, she could throw things out, when it revealed Klaus and his siblings on the other side of it.

"It's alright Love. Mickeal is dead. Everything went fine." Klaus assured her with a smile, which she gave him back before she rushed to jump in his arms.

"Which one of you killed him?" Bella asked, one arm around Klaus's neck while the other one was around Kol's neck.

The four of them looked very bloody and were in need of a good bath, but right now, she was too happy to see them alive.

"I held him down the same way he forced me to hold Niklaus down when Mother cursed him." Elijah told her.

"They let me kill him. A revenge for everything he put me through, as well as the fact he killed my real father before I could even meet him." Klaus told her.

"I'm sure he's very proud of you, wherever he is." Bella assured Klaus.

.

A few days later, a lot of people came to the party Klaus had organized for his daughter and to celebrate their victory against Mickeal. They even decided that every year, they'd hold a big party to celebrate not only Mickeal's death but the fact that they had stood united against him and that they had won. They were still debating on the name they would be giving this specific holiday.

Peace day.

Unity day.

Peace and Unity day.

They had a year to decide but what they knew was that this day would be known and celebrated for a long time in their town. They would have a ball, a parade, maybe even a fair. Games for children to enjoy themselves, laughter for everyone, love as well. Maybe they'd even find a way to ridicule Mickeal on that day, so he'd be able to see what traces he had left behind him from the other side.

The Originals decided to change Bella the day after her wedding with Kol, which was planned a year from now, after her 18th birthday.

She had come in their lives like the first ray of sunlight comes in the morning after an especially dark night and ever since that day, happiness hadn't left them. They knew that it would last forever. She had united them, made them a real family.

She was and always would be their personal ray of sunshine.

* * *

><p><strong>So, maybe I'll pick this up to make a bigger story out of it one day, but for now, that's it.<strong>

**What did you think? Tell me in a review please?**

**Happy holidays!**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


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